Carbon monoxide detector had gone off but family thought it was false alarm, firefighters say

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Updated: 4:13 PM EST Dec 5, 2018

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WEBVTT KATELYN: ONE WOMAN IS NOW HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL, AND FOUR OTHERS WERE SENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. IT ALL HAPPENED IN THIS HOME WHICH DOES HAVE A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR. IT WENT OFF EARLIER IN THE DAY YESTERDAY, BUT THE FIRE CHIEF SAYS THE FAMILY THOUGHT IT WAS A FALSE ALARM AND TOOK THE BATTERIES OUT. JUST BEFORE 4:00 THIS MORNING, THE CHIEF SAYS A MAN IN THE HOME WOKE UP AND FOUND HIS ADULT DAUGHTER SICK. WHEN FIREFIGHTERS GOT HERE, THEY SAY THAT MAN WAS NOT TALKING PROPERLY, AND THE DAUGHTER AND HER TWO KIDS, AGES 12 AND NINE, WERE UNCONSCIOUS. >> I SAW THE DAUGHTER GO OUT ON A STRETCHER WHEN I WAS OUT HERE. >> THEIR BODY SYSTEMS WERE ALREADY SHUTTING DOWN WHEN WE GOT THERE, SO IT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN MUCH LONGER ‘TIL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WAY DIFFERENT OUTCOME. KATELYN: THE FIRE CHIEF SAYS A BLOCKED CHIMNEY VENT CAUSED THE CARBON MONOXIDE TO BACK UP INTO THE HOUSE. THE GAS METER THAT SHOULD READ ZERO RED 2000 PARTS PER MILLION INSIDE THE HOME. THE CHIEF DOES EXPECT THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED INCLUDING THE FAMILY’S TWO DOGS WHO ALSO GOT OXYGEN MASKS FROM FIREFIGHTERS TO RECOVER FROM THIS. IN YORK,

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5 people sickened by carbon monoxide in home

Carbon monoxide detector had gone off but family thought it was false alarm, firefighters say

Five people, including two children, were hospitalized after being sickened Wednesday morning by carbon monoxide at their home in York.Firefighters said a man in the house woke up around 4 a.m. to find his wife, their daughter, and her two kids, ages 9 and 12, either sick or unconscious.According to firefighters, the home on the 700 block of South Pershing Avenue has a carbon monoxide detector, which went off Tuesday. The family thought it was a false alarm and removed the batteries, firefighters said.The fire chief said a blocked chimney vent caused the buildup of carbon monoxide. The level in the house was more than 2,000 times higher than normal, firefighters said.The fire chief said he expects everyone to recover. One of the victims has been released from a hospital, firefighters said, and the four others were taken to a hospital in Maryland. Two dogs were also treated, firefighters said.

YORK, Pa. —

Five people, including two children, were hospitalized after being sickened Wednesday morning by carbon monoxide at their home in York.

Firefighters said a man in the house woke up around 4 a.m. to find his wife, their daughter, and her two kids, ages 9 and 12, either sick or unconscious.

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According to firefighters, the home on the 700 block of South Pershing Avenue has a carbon monoxide detector, which went off Tuesday. The family thought it was a false alarm and removed the batteries, firefighters said.

The fire chief said a blocked chimney vent caused the buildup of carbon monoxide. The level in the house was more than 2,000 times higher than normal, firefighters said.

The fire chief said he expects everyone to recover. One of the victims has been released from a hospital, firefighters said, and the four others were taken to a hospital in Maryland. Two dogs were also treated, firefighters said.